Another Choice
by OnCloudTen
Summary: "I am Abnegation. I am Amity. I am Candor. I am Dauntless. I am Erudite. I am the most powerful Divergent ever." What really happened in Caleb's aptitude test? What if he transferred to Dauntless instead of Erudite? Can one choice, another choice, change his life? Or will it guarantee immediate death? First FanFic!
1. Choose

**A/N Hey guys! This is my first ever fanfiction! So I had this idea a few days ago and decided to run with it. Let me know what you think!**

**- OnCloudTen**

Blood is a strange thing. It means life; it means death; it means new beginnings. All I could comprehend as my name was called is the metallic tang of blood turning the air sour.

"Caleb Prior." I give Beatrice a last reassuring squeeze, and spring forward as I cast a last look back in her direction. Bea looks like she's going to throw up. Telling myself that holding hands was more for her than myself, I slowly take the knife out of Marcus' cold hands, working extra hard to not let them shake. As I slowly press the blade into my palm, my brain still works overtime to try to make one final decision about my choice.

**FLASHBACK**

For some reason room five doesn't look very reassuring right now. Staring blankly at the number outside of the door, I slowly push it open and immediately cringe at the sight inside.

The first thing I notice is the mirrors. They're on every wall in the room. The minimal light in the room makes my baggy grey clothes look darker, and strange on my lanky figure. In the center of the room sits a reclining chair, which almost looks like a dentist chair from the city hospital. A kind looking woman is working so intently with the machine to the right of the chair that she doesn't even notice me walk in.

"Oh! I didn't even see you there dear! Come sit and get comfortable." The woman has a deep voice, and her blue glasses accent the deep frown lines on her face. Erudite. I awkwardly slide into the severe looking chair and shift uncomfortably while watching my reflection in front of me. I look much older than I remember. My dark hair, hooked nose, and green eyes almost suit me now. The few times I ever glanced in a mirror when I was a child, I always looked strange.

The woman silently attaches electrodes to my forehead with a very occupied look on her face. As she leans forward, her blue sleeve slides down to reveal a corner of a tattoo. I almost want to ask her what it is, but curiosity is against Abnegation. She turns around, obscuring my view of the tattoo and sticks some wires to her own head, and extends a hand out to me. I awkwardly grab it and slowly shake it, as she introduces herself. I can't help but notice that she adjusted her sleeve so the splotch of ink is hidden.

"Dorothy Gregor. I will be administering your aptitude test this morning" She turns around and quickly checks a computer screen before finishing, "…Caleb. Drink this." Dorothy thrusts out a vile of clear liquid and I tentatively grab it from her. I open my dry mouth and tip the strange liquid in. The last thing I see is my own reflection dropping the empty vial into my lap.

**FLASHBACK PAGEBREAK**

I feel like my eyelids weigh a hundred pounds as they slowly open to the scene in front of me. I'm back in the school cafeteria, now empty, and it's snowing outside. I turn in a slow circle, observing the simulation, before my eyes fall on a table directly in front of me. There are two baskets. In one is a chunk of cheese, and in the other is a knife a little shorter than my forearm.

Behind me, I hear a woman's voice bark out, "Choose."

I turn around, expecting to see the woman behind me. No one is there.

"Choose." She repeats, louder this time. I slowly walk forward and at the same time, grab the knife and the cheese. The empty baskets pop away, and I faintly hear a door squeak. I quickly whip around, and see a dog creep into the cafeteria. I faintly recognize it from a passage in our biology textbook.

'Canis lupus familaris, more commonly known as a domestic dog, has been for century's considered man's friend and guardian. They can smell fear due to a chemical secreted by human glands in a state of duress, and will attack if threatened.' This was followed but a list of breeds and pictures. This dog is a German shepherd.

I gulp as my thoughts catch up to my brain, and quickly look down. Looking into the dog's eyes is a sign of aggression. I lower myself down onto my stomach, laying on the cold floor as the dog stalks forward, growling at me. When Bea and I were younger, she asked for a dog. Now I can't remember why. I don't look up, but I can't hear the dogs heavy panting in my ear. I cringe as it's breath pattern changes and it barks into my ear. I slowly pull my hand out from under me and throw out the cheese, which the dog immediately gulps down and then licks my face. I sit back up and stare at the dog curiously.

The dog puts its paws on my shoulders and pushes me down, assaulting me with wet dog kisses. Gross. I blink and when my eyes open, a girl in a white dress stands before me, squealing, "Puppy!"

I don't think when the dog lunges for her. I just jump up with the knife in front of me, shielding the girl. I hear a sickening thump and yelp a second later from the dog. I close my eyes and when I open them, I'm back in the testing room, which is now empty. Turning in a slow circle, I notice with a foreign curiosity that my reflection isn't appearing in any of the mirrors. Running my hand along the smooth wall, I push when I find the door and walk into the hallway – or should I say bus.

All the seats are taken, and without a second thought I grab onto a pole in the center of the aisle. In front of me sits a man with scarred hands clutching a newspaper.

"Do you know this guy?" he asks, tapping the headline with his finger. It reads "Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended!" As I stare at it, I feel in the back of my mind that I've seen him before. Without a second though I answer truthfully.

"Yes. I think that I've seen him before." The man lowers the newspaper and smiles at me with a crooked snarl. His face is covered with scars, and he wears dark sunglasses.

"If I told you that it was me, would you turn me in to stop a war, even if you lost you own life?" He snarls, spitting into my face. His breath smells like old cigarettes.

I set my jaw and look him dead in the eyes. "Yes."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

All I can do is stare at the blood pooling on my palm. I glance at each of the bowls in turn. The calm grey stones of Abnegation. I am Abnegation. I saved the little girl's life. Dark soil representing Amity. I am Amity. I chose the cheese and risked my own life to prevent war. Candor's glass gleams quietly at me. I am Candor. I told the man the truth. I can feel the heat of Dauntless' coals in front of me. I am Dauntless. Grabbing the knife and killing the dog proves this. And finally, the water for Erudite, already tinted a dark red color. I am Erudite. Knowledge is my first instinct in danger.

Breathe in; breathe out. I reach forward and let my blood fall onto the burning coals.

I am Abnegation.

I am Amity.

I am Candor.

I am Dauntless.

I am Erudite.

I am the most powerful Divergent ever.


	2. Boiling

**A/N Another chapter! I want to give a huge thanks to my two followers, one reviewer, and 49 viewers! I know this may seem like nothing, but it feels like a huge accomplishment! Here's chapter two…enjoy! Oh yeah. I own a Divergent book, but not **_**the**_** Divergent book.**

**- OnCloudTen**

Boiling blood. It's no longer just an expression to me. Staring down into the Dauntless bowl, I notice that the lit coals are surround by a pool of blood. Boiling blood, that is.

When the first drop of my crimson blood splashed on the coals, I knew that I was forsaking my family. Permanently. I didn't have to look up to know where the tense whispers were coming from. Here I was, Caleb Prior, Abnegation role model, transferring to Dauntless, of all places. But my transfer was not made in spite of my family.

I think back to Dorothy's words. "You're…Divergent Caleb. You have an aptitude for all five factions. Never tell anyone about this, or you will be instantly dead. They would kill the most powerful Divergent in a second flat." Is Dauntless really the safest place for me now? Or ever? It's too late to turn back. As I glace up, I meet my parent's eyes and slowly walk over to the group of Dauntless. My dad isn't trying at all to hide his disapproval. If looks could kill, I would be burning in the Dauntless bowl right now. My steps falter as my eyes flick over to my mother's. She looks…proud? Her eyes gleam in satisfaction and an easy smile covers her face. They are the only Abnegation whose voices aren't rising right now.

"Excuse me," Marcus says, attempting to draw attention back to the ceremony. His voice is muffled through my ears, almost like I'm underwater. All I can hear is the pounding of my own heart.

"Quiet please!" The room goes silent as Marcus shouts. The watery sound in my ears shatter. I stand among the group of Dauntless initiates, but I'm not paying attention to their congratulations.

"Beatrice Prior." Marcus voice booms across the dim space. Bea. My sister Bea. All of our memories together come flooding back. She hates it when I call her that. A choked laugh attempts to escape my throat, but all it sounds like is a sob. She shudders forward, and I see a look of determination spread across her face. But then her steps halt, and she looks over at me, looking torn and distressed. I know what she's thinking. All my life I have worked to only appear Abnegation, but I have always struggled. I guess now it makes sense that I have an aptitude for all five factions, because I never like I fit in anywhere. But Bea, and everyone else, has only ever seen me as extremely selfless. I slowly nod at her. If I was never cut out for Abnegation, how could she be?

I realize that I've known Bea all my life but don't really know anything about her. She takes to knife in her hand and drags the blade down her palm. What is she thinking? Where will she be sleeping tonight? Back in our house, our plain Abnegation house? Or in a strange new place like me? I hardly notice the world around me as she lets her blood sizzle on the coals. We are selfish. We are brave.

**PAGE BREAK**

When I woke up this morning, I never thought I would be jumping on a train. Or running down twenty flights of stairs until my lungs felt like they could burst. As the group of black clad men and woman burst out of the lobby, I can't help but call out in joy. That is what this is, the flat out sprint, to who knows where. But I don't even care as we race out into the street to the train tracks.

"Oh no," an Erudite boy mumbles. "Are we supposed to hop on that thing?" I look down the tracks and break into a massive grin as I see the headlights of the silver train rush towards us.

"Yes." I can't help but laugh as Bea and I say this at the exact same time. We look over at each other and smile.

"Creepy Abnegation…" the boy sighs, just as the train slides in front of us. I step forward with a few others and start jogging; not looking back at the Abnegation I know will be slowly filing out of the doors by now. That was my old life. I must look forward, ahead, to this new destiny ahead of me. Running with the car for a few steps, I manage to throw myself sideways into an open door. A Candor girl next to me reaches down and helps Bea into the car. Gasping, she thanks her. A sharp shout pierces through the sound of the train. I look back to see a short boy in Erudite blue trying desperately to catch up to the train car. But it is no use as he falls to his knees and cries into his hands. He just failed Dauntless initiation.

"You all right?" The Candor girl shouts over the wind flying through the car. It was directed to Bea, but the air carries it all across the train car. She is tall, with dark brown skin and dark short hair. Pretty. Whoa. I catch myself on that thought. I don't even know her name!

I'm to busy watching the Candor girl to notice the conversation she is having with Bea. For some reason, she reminds me of Susan. Even though they look nothing alike, she seems to me a lot like the Suzy I knew in private. We "dated" in secret for about a month before choosing, although the most we ever did was hold hands. I didn't even think about her when I transferred. Feeling my heart shatter, I sit down with my head in my hands. What have I done? We were going to get married and life a peaceful Abnegation life, and now I just went and stomped all over her heart without even saying goodbye. Bea comes over and sits by me.

"You okay?" She asks, a genuine note of concern in her voice. I guess there still is Abnegation left in her.

"Yeah." I whisper, my voice cracking as I wipe away the single tear I had shed. "Susan." I say quietly. Bea nods.

"You going to be okay?" I look over at her and shakily nod my head. She rests her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes.

**PAGE BREAK**

"They're jumping off!"

My eyes flick up to the boy that shouted. I had spent the last half-hour listening to the roaring wind and watching the city smear past us. Where the heck is the Dauntless compound? At some point Bea fell asleep, so I quickly shake her awake and pull her by the arm to the edge of the train car. The boy is right. Dauntless in the cars ahead are jumping off onto a rooftop seven stories up. I blink a few times. Am I seeing this correctly? There is a gap between the roof and the car, and they just expect us to jump? What if we fall, what if…I yell at myself inside my brain. I am Dauntless now. Time to act like it. Setting my stance, I launch myself across the gap, ignoring the bickering behind me between some of the initiates. There is a brief moment of weightlessness before my feet slam into the roof, and I run forward to keep my balance. Somehow I managed to stay up. I look back and see the Candor girl help Bea up and laugh.

"That was fun." I laugh and am about to go up to introduce myself when I hear the wail.

A Dauntless born girl is standing on the edge of the roof, looking down at the ground and screaming. A boy is holding her waist to keep her from falling off. He's saying something but I'm underwater again. Bea walks forward and I see her cringe at the sight below. It sounds like someone is holding their hands to my ears. Not even the Dauntless are safe here. People can die at any moment. I slowly count the three. One. The girl's body smeared on the pavement below. Two. The boy reassuring her. Three. I mentally pry the hands from my eyes and walk away. I can hear actual words again. Bea is standing a little bit further from the girl, and has her sleeve pulled up to her shoulder.

"Bea, you okay?" She's staring silently at her elbow, which is peeling but not bleeding.

"Ooh. Scandalous! A Stiff's flashing some skin!" I hear a boy with a loud arrogant voice call out behind us. Bea's cheeks burn bright red and she lets the arm fall back to her fingertips.

"Hey!" I call out to him. "Leave her alone!" He turns back to his friends and snickers, before turning around and shouting back.

"Trying to defend your weak little girlfriend?" He laughs and looks away, like the conversation was over. Bea is looking at him in disgust when she yells back.

"That's my brother!" She looks really angry, and disgusted. Am I really that ugly?

"I know." He replies, wriggling his eyebrows. Bea looks like she is about to run over and punch him when a loud voice shouts from the other end of the roof.

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" He pauses for a second, and shifts on his feet. He seems older than everyone else, with deep creases in his dark skin and gray hair covering his temples. He is standing on the ledge like it's a sidewalk, as if someone didn't just die right here. "Several stories below us is the memebers' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"You want us to jump off a ledge?" An Erudite girl with brown hair asks, as if she's appalled. I'm about to make a smart remark about her 'not being very smart for an Erudite' when a thought hits me. Out of all these people, I am the only one who truly doesn't belong. I am Erudite, like this girl. I belong everywhere, and nowhere at the same time. Such is the perils of being Divergent, but I will be really be wanted dead of word of my extreme Divergence gets out.

I realized I zoned out when I see Bea standing at the ledge. What could be at the bottom of that hole? I watch as she drops down, and a minute later, I break into a run and plummet down like a stone.

**PAGE BREAK**

It seems like years later when I finally hit the bottom of the hole. The air is knocked out of me as I hit something hard, yet it bends and holds my body beneath me. Everyone one is cheering, but I don't notice. All I see is a boy – that more looks like a grown man – with his hand on Bea's back. Maybe the expression boiling blood still does have meaning to me.


	3. Dauntless

**A/N It took me forever to figure out how to start this chapter; so sorry it's weird. I want to say a huge thanks to ****krikanalo for the reviews! I don't own Divergent, yada yada. Here's chapter three!**

Tris POV

You would think that if you lived with someone your whole life you would know more than his name. Caleb Prior. That's all that I ever knew about the boy who lived down the hall from me. Would I ever have guessed that he would be Dauntless? Never. But I never knew what he was really like, under his selfless façade.

He used to tell me happiness was greedy. But then what was his ecstatic expression as we leaped onto the train car? Did it really only take a few minutes for him to forget who he had been his whole life? The boy with the dark hair and hooked nose, who had given his seat to a Candor man on the bus, was he already gone? Or was it all an act? Had Caleb ever really been selfless?

At some point my racing thoughts lulled, and I fell asleep.

_I'm standing at the choosing ceremony, but all the spectators are gone, and it's very dark. Caleb is standing in front of the bowls, with his right arm cut all the way from the inside of his elbow to the tip of his middle finger. I see five guards moving behind Caleb, lurking in the shadows with guns thrown over their shoulders. Caleb rolls a drop of blood into the Abnegation bowl. A guard steps forward wearing grey robes. I recognize the deep blue eyes. Marcus._

_ Caleb shifts and lets a drop of blood fall onto the soil. A hear a shoe click as a woman steps forward. She has on a red jacket and yellow pants. Her hair is draped over part of her face, but I can see the corner of a scar._

_ One by one Caleb drops blood into each of the bowls. Each time, a leader from each faction comes forward and raises a gun. He is about to let the rest of the blood fall into the Erudite bowl when a woman dressed in a blue blazer shouts, "Choose!" I recognize her voice from somewhere. I can't place it. But it's too late. The blood falls into the red Erudite water with a faint plop. I hear five bullets click into place. I try to shout but I can't move. I can't even shut my eyes. The guns are fired, and Caleb falls onto the floor in a grey clothed heap. He lays face down in a pool of his own blood. The blue lanterns flicker on, and the leaders are gone. There is a word painted in blood across from the bowls. Divergent._

I feel someone shaking me. When I realize it's Caleb, I almost scream at him to watch out, but then I hear the murmurs of people and the howl of the wind around me. It was just a dream. He pulls me up and unceremoniously drags me to the open door of the train car. He lets go and jumps. Christina and I jump next, experiencing a moment of weightlessness before our feet slam into the ground.

"That was fun." I weakly smile and turn away when I hear the scream.

A Dauntless girl stands on the edge of the roof screaming. I can't think. The dream and now this, it's just all too much. I fell like I'm going to break down. But I can't. I can't. I'm Dauntless now. Without thinking, I walk forward and look over the edge. Bodies shouldn't look like that. Not crumpled on the ground and bent in severe angles. She looks like Caleb did when he was shot. Not real, I remind myself. Not real. I cringe and slowly back away from the edge. My mind feels a little clearer now.

I notice that my elbow stings. Pushing my sleeve up, I stare at my peeling elbow. Caleb walks over and quietly says, "Bea, you okay?" I grimace at the pet name. I hate it when he calls me that. And for some reason I feel like my conflicted emotions is his fault. For some reason it feels like a good idea to slap him.

"Ooh. Scandalous! A Stiff's flashing some skin!" My thoughts drop away, along with my sleeve, as my cheeks burn as if they are on fire.

"Hey!" Caleb shouts back. I mentally face palm. Not a good choice Caleb. "Leave her alone!" The boy, whose name I think is Peter, turns back to his little posy and snickers.

"Trying to defend your weak little girlfriend?" He has a disgusting laugh.

"That's my brother!" I shout in disgust.

"I know." Little Peter weasel wriggles his eyebrows. That's it, I'm –

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" My head snaps over to the shouting voice. Max, I guess, just saved Peter's little butt. "Several stories below us is the member's entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"You want us to jump off a ledge?" A girl taller than I am asks, with her mouth hanging open. I can't fight off a smirk. Isn't it obvious?

"Yes." Max says calmly, almost looking amused.

"Is there water at the bottom or something?"

"Who knows?" He raises his eyebrows and I smile. This is just a trick. I will land safely at the bottom. That's all that I'm thinking as I step up to the ledge and look down. I can't see the bottom. But there's no turning back now. I shrug my large shirt off my shoulders and curl it into a tight ball. Underneath I am wearing yet more grey, but it is still the tightest thing I own. I throw the ball of fabric as hard as I can at the human weasel.

Even though I can't see the bottom, I know that there will be something at the bottom waiting to catch me. It's only this knowledge that lets me fall into the darkness.

**PAGE BREAK**

My muscles ache from clenching so hard when I finny hit the bottom of the hole. I land in a net that stretches yet hardly bends at my small weight. I feel like screaming, crying and laughing, all at the same time. I see a few hands reach out for me, and I grab the closest one. I roll off and almost hit the floor. If he had not caught me. The first thing I notice is his eyes. They are a deep blue. I feel like I've seen them somewhere. They are so deep set that his eyelashes almost touch his eyebrows. As soon as my feet touch the ground he lets my arms go.

"Thank you." I say. We stand on a platform maybe ten feet above the ground, surrounded by an open cavern.

I hear a girl speak behind him. "Can't believe it. A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."

"There's a reason why she left them, Lauren." He says. His voice is deep, and still yet familiar. "What's your name?"

"Um…" I hesitate. Beatrice doesn't seem right. Nor do I want everyone calling me Bea. It's bad enough that Caleb does.

"Think about it," he says. A faint smile is tugging at his lips. "You don't get to pick again."

Beatrice. No. Bea. No. Tris…

I smile. "Tris."

"Tris." Lauren repeats, grinning. "Make the announcement, Four."

He looks over his shoulder and shouts, "First jumper – Tris!" A crowd seems to fall out of nowhere as my eyes adjust to the darkness. The cheer and pump there fists. Four sets his hand on my back and says, "Welcome to Dauntless."

Behind him, I see two familiar eyes that look like they are trying to burn him alive. _Here we go_.


	4. Four

**A/N Ok so you guys know I will be changing the plot up a little bit later on, since I still think that Caleb did play a role in the war. Please review! I have over 200 views but only three reviews. I do have to say that it is the coolest feeling in the world to know that people from other countries are reading my story! Canada, France, Australia, Belgium, the UK, Denmark, Barbados, Czech Republic…ahhhhh! Also, it is a lot harder to keep up a fanfiction than I thought, and I'm still trying to learn how to use this website, so please bear with me. I will try to keep updating everyday (oops), but I'm not going to use my rowing practice as an excuse! Ok I know I'm just blabbing now…oh yeah I've noticed a few little grammar mistakes in my previous chapters. Does anyone know how to fix that? Thanks for listening to me!**

**Disclaimer: I am not Veronica Roth, which means I don't own the amazing Divergent Trilogy :'(**

It doesn't matter that I hardly know anything about my own sister. The fact that I know just as much about her as this boy means nothing right now. I don't remember throwing the first punch. I don't remember blacking out. I don't remember being hauled to a Dauntless leader's office. But I remember the fury that instigated me to do it.

Max shuffles through the paperwork on his desk. Apparently the factions keep an archive of everyone's records: birth certificates, school grades, and any official documents. I try not to be disturbed by this. He clears his throat.

"Caleb Prior," he reads as he flips open a manila folder, "Says here that you have never participated in any disciplinary conduct, yet you still tried to fight a Dauntless member without instigation. Care to explain?" He looks at me with a patronizing look, like I'm some little kid that's trying to grow up too fast.

"Sir, I um…he…well…" for some reason I really don't get why I did it now. All the guy did has put his hand on my sister's back. Maybe it was my Abnegation side that caused me to react so negatively. We were always taught that physical contact is powerful. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He laughs. It's sort of a grunting laugh. "You sure? All though we are Dauntless, unprovoked fights are not something we can just overlook. Watch yourself in the future. Dismissed." He waves his hand at me dismissively as he shuts my file and hands it to a waiting secretary. I awkwardly slide out of the chair and walk out of the office. Would it kill Dauntless to get some actual lights? All they have are blue lanterns suspended every few feet, similar to the ones at the choosing ceremony.

I follow the sounds of laughter and clanking silverware to a large cavernous space, filled with tables and laughing families dressed in black. I scan the crowd and see Bea sit down in-between the pretty girl and the boy from earlier. I take a deep breath and walk over to their table. Bea is staring at a piece of meet wedged between two slices of bread when I sit down across from her. I glare at him as he passes a bowl of red sauce to Bea. He stares back at me challengingly.

"You've never had a hamburger before?" The other girl stares at Bea, her eyes wide.

"No. Is that what it's called?" I pick up one of these 'hamburgers' and take a bite. I do have to say that it's much better than frozen chicken and peas. I take another bite as the guy nods at Christina.

"Stiffs eat plain food." How would _he_ know that?

"Why?" She asks. She looks horrified.

Bea shrugs. "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary."

The other girl smiles. "No wonder you left."

"Yeah." Bea says, rolling her eyes. "It was just because of the food."

The corner of the boy's mouth twitches. What is he smiling about?

I am just about to speak up when the doors to the cafeteria bangs open. The room goes silent as a young man walks in. It is so quiet that I can hear his footsteps. It seems that every inch of his face is pierced, and his long greasy hair falls across his face. A chill goes through my body as he meets my eyes and smirks.

"Who's that?" hisses Christina.

"His name is Eric," the man-child says. "He's a Dauntless leader."

I decide to speak up. "Seriously? But he's so young."

He glares at me. "Age doesn't matter here."

I almost want to ask: _Then what does matter? _But Eric's cold eyes stop and he starts walking to our table, sitting right next to the boy I hit earlier. He offers no greeting. Neither do we.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" He asks, nodding to three of us in turn.

"This is Tris and Christina." Tris? I look over at her. I couldn't expect her to keep her name of Beatrice, but I still like Bea better.

"Ooh, Stiffs." Eric says, smirking at Be-Tris and me. When he smiles, his lips pull at the piercings, making the holes wider. "We'll see how long you last."

For some reason his words have no affect on me. I know I should be at least a little irritated, but I'm not. I am ice.

His hands are scabbed over, right on the knuckles. Like he punched something too hard. "What have you been doing lately, Four?" He asks, tapping his fingers on the table.

What kind of a name is Four? It makes me warier of him. Four shrugs a shoulder. "Nothing, really."

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says, his voice a bit tense. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."

Four just stares at him for a few seconds. The silence is deafening. "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."

Eric raises his pierced eyebrows. "So he wants to give you a job."

"So it would seem." Four says tensely. What is it between them?

"And you aren't interested."

"I haven't been interested for two years."

"Well," Eric starts. "Let's hope he gets the point, then." He hits Four on the shoulder, too hard to be friendly.

"Are you two…friends?" Tris asks uneasily.

"We were in the same initiate class," he says quietly. "He transferred from Erudite."

"Were you a transfer too?" Tris needs to watch herself. I don't think Four is one to mess with.

"I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions," he says coldly. But his eyes don't reflect the tone. "Now I've got Stiffs, too?"

"It must be because you're so approachable," Tris says, a cold tone dripping from her voice. "You know. Like a bed of nails."

My sister has some guts. Either that or she doesn't understand how dangerous this guy truly is. He hardly tapped me and I blacked out cold. But they just stay they staring at one another. He doesn't seem to have any intention of hurting her. What is this affect that she has on him?

"Careful, Tris." The stares break.

Across the table Christina raises both eyebrows.

"What?" Tris asks.

"I'm developing a theory." She says, smiling a little.

"And it is?"

Christina picks up her hamburger as her smile widens. "That you have a death wish."

It's in this moment I realize something. Four _likes_ my little sister. And I can't stop him.

**PAGE BREAK**

The rest of dinner is relatively silent. Four leaves without a word, but I notice that he glances at Tris from over his shoulder. If he breaks her heart, I'll break him.

Eric leads us down a bunch of identical hallways, each lit by a blue lamp. No one speaks a word. Eventually we stop by a wooden door at the end of one of the hallways.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says. Yes, we know. "I am one of the five leaders of Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of you training."

Why would a Dauntless leader by watching our training? The thought makes me sick. Why Eric, of all people?

"Some ground rules. You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."

Just another thing that's different about this place. Back in Abnegation, we always thought of everyone else first. I think I still do.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless. Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are ten beds and only nine of you. We anticipated that a higher proportion of you would make it this far."

"But we started with twelve." I hear Christina protest behind me. Are all the Candor this dumb?

"There is always at least one transfer who doesn't make it to the compound." Eric says, casually picking his cuticles. "Anyway, in the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So I expect-"

"Rankings?" It's the brown haired Erudite girl again. Some people…

When Eric smiles, it sends a chill through my body. Something's not right.

"Your ranking serves two purposes," he says. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available." The second purpose is that only the top ten initiates are made members."

The Abnegation side of me wants to reassure everyone that it will be okay. But it won't. I feel like I want to crawl into a bawl and cry. _Shut up, Amity. _But I know he's telling the truth. And it makes sense that they can't let everyone in. I will become Dauntless, no matter the cost.

Everyone is still until Christina says, "What?"

Eric smiles evilly. "There are eleven Dauntless-borns, and nine of you. Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test."

I will make it through. I will.

"What do we do if we're cut?" A Candor boy says. His name is Peter, I think.

"You leave the Dauntless compound," Eric says, like it's any other sentence, "and live factionless."

I can feel my body harden. If I can belong in any of the five factions, I can survive initiation. Right? _Right?_

"But that's…not fair!" says a large Candor girl. She looks terrified. "If we had known-"

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless? Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." He roughly pushes open the door.

"You chose us. Now we have to choose you."

I don't care that I might fail. It doesn't matter.

_ I sleep with no dreams tonight._

**A/N Oooh drama! Ok so I'm thinking of starting a second story…my ideas – High School, Four POV Divergent/Insurgent, characters reading Divergent, and a no war…which one should I do? Review of PM me!**


	5. Outcast

**A/N It's OnCould10! I know this is getting great feedback, but you guys should really check out my other story **_**Our Past Is Grey! **_**I'm more into that one, so the writing is better…sorry this took so long I've never liked this chapter in the book anyways. And it's really short too. I'm just not really in an inspired mood today, but I promised you guys a chapter. Bye!**

Eight comes too early in the morning. I'm still half asleep by the time I make it to the training room, but at least I'm smart enough not to show it. The first words I hear are Four snapping at Peter.

"Wake. Up. You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like." He's also holding a loaded gun _to his forehead_. I try to slide into the room unnoticed, but my efforts go unwarranted. Without even turning around, number guy shouts, "Late, Stiff?"

I freeze mid footstep. I have a feeling that it's best to not get on the bad side of someone who just held a gun to someone's forehead.

"I…um…overslept." Cringing at my weak voice, I grab a gun off the table and walk over to a target. Who needs lessons? I set my feet shoulder width apart, and set my gun. I have to go through with this. Every initiate is staring at me with open mouths. Four is raising his eyebrows at me. The trigger seems to move down by it self. Not expecting the harsh recoil, I fall back a half step. I made a small hole at the edge of the target.

"Nice for a Stiff. But you better watch yourself." _What is that supposed to mean? _"Back to work!" He shouts. I loose myself in the rhythmic sounds of bullets hitting the wooden targets.

**PAGEBREAK**

Lunch seems to come too fast. I sit with Tris, Christina, and some Candor named Al. For most of lunch Tris just turns peas over with her fork, and Christina and Al talk loudly. For some reason I feel like an outcast here. Tris eventually joins the conversation, and a green eyed boy with messy blonde hair comes over and sits next to Christina. I don't miss the googly eyes that she's making at him.

My mouth is shut all lunch. My mind is racing, but with just thoughts.

_I never got the impression that being Divergent is dangerous. But it doesn't seem like it's something I should shout to the world, especially with trainers willing to shoot initiates for no apparent cause. Maybe that's my problem. I don't understand the Dauntless' motives like someone who truly got that as a result. I only came here because it seemed to be the most fun of the five. Caleb Prior could just as easily fit into any other faction. Like Erudite. I've always had a passion for learning. But it's too late now._

**PAGEBREAK**

Obviously technology is not a priority to the Dauntless. After lunch, we are taken to a new room with creaky wood floor and a red circle painted in the middle. Hanging every few feet are large back punching bags. Four stands in the middle where everyone can see him while he's talking.

"As I said this morning, next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare you body to respond to threats and challenges – which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless." He barks out through the space. What would I do if I were factionless?

"We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other." Four's eyes catch mine on the last few words. "So I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt." My blood boils as he smirks at me.

He demonstrates a few basic kicks and punches, and the bag swings wildly when I hit it. Four walks right by me and observes Tris.

"You don't have much muscle," he says, "which means you're better off using your knees and elbows. You can put more power behind them."

My body freezes as he presses a hand to her stomach. The punching bag swings back and hits me, but I don't notice. I am frozen to the spot. Looking around, I notice that I am not the only one witnessing what's happening. I don't catch his next words, but Tris just stands there looking like a deer in the headlights even after he walks off.

**PAGE BREAK**

Tris leaves after practice with Christina. But I skip dinner and go back to the empty dorms, flopping on my bunk and staring at the bed above me.

_I haven't made a single friend since coming here. Tris has barely talked to me, and she's my own sister. Or was my own sister. Faction before blood? I just don't know. It's bad enough that I don't fit in here; it's the fact that I know I've made the wrong choice. Erudite is where I belong. Tris belongs here much more than I do._

_ And speaking of Tris, Four. I really don't like him. There is something that is quite familiar about him, and I can't place it. He also can't seem to keep his hands off of my little sister. I haven't missed the way he looks at her, even if this is only our second day here._

Sighing, I flip over and eventually fall asleep.


	6. Decisions

**A/N I'm going to apologize in advance for this author's note. I personally hate it when authors do this, but I need to tell you guys some important things. Please don't hate me ****. And please read it!**

**I'm not really getting a good feel for this story anymore. It almost seems better left as a 5-shot (if that's even a thing).**

**I am suffering major writer's block. If I were to continue with this story, I think I need to do a fast-forward and look at Caleb's life after initiation. That said, if I continue. Do you guys want me to keep writing this? Any ideas?**

**My updating in general is going to be slowing down. **_**A lot. **_**Just a look at my life here…I'm in crew (rowing) and I have practice basically everyday this week. So far I've been managing to write when I get home, but it seems rushed. Also, I'm in band and have jazz rehearsals a few days in the next few weeks to get ready for meet the teacher (we're preforming). On top of that, I'm trying to finish summer homework stuff, which involves writing, which is draining most of the creativity out of me. Oh yeah and I'm still trying to keep up my social life. Blah.**

**As I said in the last story, I am having much more fun writing **_**Our Past Is Grey**_**, even if Four does seem a little OOC. It's quite difficult writing chapters for this story and that one, considering that I'm using to same quotes and everything. I'm getting brain lapses and switching the povs.**

**Thanks for dealing with my rambling. I'm SO SORRY if you were expecting a chapter…PLEASE REVIEW! I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS STORY IS WORTH CONTINUING! I LOVE ALL OF YOU!**


	7. Divergent

_A few days later…_

When my eyes open, it's dark. I can't see, or feel anything. I am nothing. Even though I'm standing, there is no solid ground below me. Then I hear the scream.

It's a sharp, shrill scream that cuts across the quiet like a knife. And I recognize it. _Susan_. She screams again. My arms stretch out into darkness and I take a wavering step. Nothing. The space drops back into nothing. The silence is thick. But then all at once, it's coming from all directions. Gradually I lower my body down to the floor, where some mysterious force is supporting me. The noise sounds like it's coming from my own head. And I. Can't. Think.

Years later I'm back in the simulation room. Four is looking at me curiously. I think I speak, but all I hear is ringing. Whatever that was, I am not doing it again. I'm just glad stage two is finally over.

"Caleb!" A shout breaks the ringing. Four is standing over me with his arms crossed.

I gulp. "Huh?" He rolls he eyes.

"We need to talk." _What_? He takes my arm and half-leads, half-drags me out the back door of the simulation room. We turn down halls I don't recognize. _Right. Left. Left. _After a minute, Four stops at a door and pushes it open with his knee. The boy's bathroom?

Four shuts the door and stands across from me with a conflicted look on his face. "Did Tris ever tell you her aptitude test results?" I just stare at him. After a few seconds I regain the ability to speak.

"Why are we here?" Four shoots daggers at me. It was just a question…

"No cameras. Well?" I think for a minute. _No. We haven't spoken much since we transferred._

I look down and shake my head.

"Good. Never repeat what I'm about to tell you." He pauses, looking me over from head to toe. Taking a deep breath he finishes. "Tris is…Divergent."

My head snaps up. Tris? Divergent? I gulp. "Why are you telling me this?"

He bites the inside of his cheek. "I – we need to keep her safe."

My thoughts catch up to me, and my eyes narrow. "How do you know she's Divergent?"

Four looks down at his feet. "The simulations. If you're Divergent, you are aware. Can get yourself out of them." My mind freezes. What?

"Is that true for all Divergents?" Four stops for a second and stares at me, right in the eyes.

"Yes." _Then why didn't it ever happen to me?_

Four unfolds his arms and walks past me. "Oh, and Caleb. How would you feel about your sister and I going out?" _Are you flipping kidding me?_

My blood runs cold. I normally would say no, but I've seen the idle looks and touches they've been sharing. He respects her.

"Be careful with her heart. She's never dated before." I can't believe I'm agreeing to this.

He slowly nods. "I know the feeling." And he pushes open the door and walks out. In the mirror I see a pale face with dark hair and green eyes. Someone who isn't Divergent.

**Dun dun dun! Can you guys figure out what happened in Caleb's test? I know what did! Ok so I'd like to say a huge thanks to the support I've gotten. I just had really bad writers block. Ok and so you guys know this is the last day of fear simulations. It's after zip lining and the capture the flag game. (Caleb was on Eric's team.) I think I'm going to do the next day, fear landscape day, and then possibly continue. In the book, this is the night Tris goes through Tobias' fear landscape…so I guess when I post you'll see the aftermath of that! ;) Love you guys!**

**- OnCloudTen**


	8. Tears

My face swims in the mirror in front of me. Even though I don't understand why I'd cry, my vision gets watery at the edges. The face in front of me has a tear rolling down their cheek.

I slowly turn around and take a deep breath. It feels like leaving this room with set the truth in stone. I'm not Divergent. The door swings open and I walk outside. The hallway is empty, but I follow the sounds of rushing water towards the chasm.

There's chaos everywhere, in a way that can only be described as Dauntless. But I'd prefer calm. Everyone is laughing and shouting, their feet moving quickly to unknown destinations. I'd rather be in a quiet place. A library. Studying. _In Erudite._

The waist high railing is cold under my fingertips. Every few seconds a drop of water comes high enough to touch my finger, before falling back down into the river. It seems like my life. For a second I may grasp something meaningful, but then I'm swept back down into darkness.

The most exciting day of my life was my first day of school. I remember how excited I was to learn. It felt like someone had breathed new air into my lungs. But here I'm suffocating.

I think of all of the people in my life. There's Tris. But we haven't spoken since the first day of initiation. She belongs here much more than I do. And Mom and Dad. I hardly knew them. And I'm not allowed to love them anymore.

Putting pressure onto my hands, I vault up and sit on the chasm railing. My feet dangle out over the water that's rushing in between rocks beneath me.

_Susan_. Her blonde hair, bright smile. I wonder if she even thinks about me anymore.

Goodbye Tris. Goodbye Mom. Dad. _Goodbye Susan_. I press my feet into the bottom of the railing and slide off of the ledge. Time moves in slow motion as I unhook each clammy finger from the rail. The river moves at a snail's pace below me.

I lean forward, and fall.

_Four. Treat her right._

**A/N Hey there! I'm soooooo soooooooo sorry for not updating yesterday. But it took me almost five hours to write the chapter for **_**Our Past Is Grey **_**yesterday and I ran out of time to update. Yes I know, this is a short chapter. I'm going to continue this like a chapter or two more, and then put most of my focus on **_**Our Past Is Grey**_** and the other story I'm starting to write. PLEASE PLEASE review! It would make me really happy! Oh yeah and check out **_**Our Past Is Grey**_**…BYE!**

**- OnCloudTen**


	9. Inbetween

**A/N Hey again! Sorry this took me so long to update, but my real life friend JezaBelle7 has been borrowing my Divergent book. I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, and also if the religious part of it offends anyone. I tried to keep that to a minimum. Oh ya! Go check out JezaBelle7! She has the first chapter of a Kingdom Keepers fanfic up, which is about the keepers helping to defeat a new villain at Universal! We are also writing a Little Mermaid/Phantom of the Opera crossover, so I will let you know when that goes up! Per my direction (more like begging) she's also starting a Divergent fanfic! Sorry for the long authors note...enjoy chapter nine! Wait! Thanks to my many reviewers, followers, and favoriters (just go with it)! Next chapter I will give about outs to everyone who did any of those things, so keep on reviewing! Also, go check out Our Past Is Grey! I posted a new chapter earlier!**

**- OnCloudTen**

A bright light pierces through my eyelids. I think I hear muttering, but it would be drowned out in the bright ringing pounding in my head.

The white light is slowly lifted as my eyelids drift open. Four walls around me painted white. Waxed white tile stretches out under me, reflecting the white ceiling. _Where am I?_

Almost on cue, I hear a cough behind me.

"Excuse me." I whip around, and see a pudgy man dressed entirely in white, holding a small box labled _Caleb Prior_. "Ah yes. Confused? You're Inbetween." He states this like this should explain everything, and smiles at me.

"Uh, what?" My voice sounds foregin to me, like I've never heard it in my life.

The man smiles again, and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "Inbetween. Halfway dead. Your consinence hasn't yet left your body. Which means that you have a reason to stay alive." The box he was holding opens on comand, revealing a very small clear disk. "It's a contact." I raise my eyebrows.

"Oh yeah. You're from the project. It's-"

I quickly interupt him. "The project?" A look of shock spreads across his face.

"Um, forget I said that." He instantly looks calmer, but _I_ certainly don't feel calmer. "Anyways, it'll show you the future if you decide to _live_, or if you decide to stay _here_."

"Here?"

"Heaven." He states simply, smiling again. "Here. Just put this is your eye."

_My eye?_ "My eye?" The man laughed at me. He brough his hand up, and before I could ask what he has doing, pushed the disk into my eye, and they seemed to glue shut right after he did.

Green letters scrolled up in front of me. _Future with Caleb Prior._

_I see two men hauling a body up from the Chasm. Me? They flop me down on the Pit floor, and my eyes snap open. The scene changes. I'm having a conversation with Four._

"_Since I can't exactly go to your parents in Abnegation," he pauses and laughs, but then looks very serious. "Can I…marry your sister?"_

_Then I'm walking Tris down the isle. At the end is an ecstatic looking Four. I hand her off to him, and the image skips to them kissing at the end their vows._

_What comes next is quite disturbing. Four is with Tris, in what looks like a hotel room with their wedding clothes still on. They are having a very heated makeout session, with Tris pressed up against the wall next to the door, her legs wrapped around his waist. This is so wrong. I can't believe that I'm being forced to watch this. Just as Tris starts clawing at his shirt, the picture fades to black._

_Future without Caleb._

_Thunder clashes in the distance. Some how it sounds very close, but yet far away at the same time. The dark veil on the screen lifts, but not very much. Above the soft din of the thunder is the roaring Chasm. Tris is sitting down there, hugging her knees and crying. It hurts to know I was the one who caused her pain. Behind her, I see Four. He looks like he wants to comfort her, but doesn't want to scare her. She doesn't realize that he's there._

_Tris slowly stands up, and wipes her wet hands across her dark jeans. Without warning, she jumps into the Chasm._

_Behind her, Four screams. He leaps forward and tries to grab her, but misses at the last second. Tris' body is swept away. I watch as tears start to stream down his face. Slowly, he sinks to his knees and starts to cry. No. That'd be an understatement. He starts to flat out bawl, flooding tears mixed with guttural cries and screams._

_I only make out three words._

_"I loved her."_

**PAGEBREAK**

My eyes open, and with them a single tear. I'm back in the room, but this time it truly is empty. In front of me rests a table. On it is the box from before, sitting open with the tiny slot for whatever the heck was put into my eye. Next to it are two buttons. One reads, _Heaven, _the other, _Home._

_Much like the choosing ceremony. _I bring my hand up to my eye, and carefully remove the small disk and place it back in the box. My eyes drift to the button labeled Home. A small shudder goes through me, thinking about the honeymoon I was forced to watch. As much as it pains me to say it, Four does seem like he would, or should I say will, love Tris as long as they both live. And I haven't missed the reverence in which she looks at him. They really will make a great couple.

And that can't be nearly as bad as the pain in which my death caused. Tris threw away her life without a second thought, and I got to see firsthand how much that affected Four. He looked as if someone had literally ripped his heart out of his chest. _But_. Staying here means I won't have to suffer through the rest of initiation. I won't have to ever go through another simulation, and go through the very plausible risk of becoming Factionless. I'll be at peace, at home, with God.

To me the choice is obvious. I take a deep breath. Close my eyes. And slam my hand down on the button.


	10. Author's Note

**A/N – Hey there pansycakes! As much as I personally hate it when authors do this, this note is VERY IMPORTANT! So thanks in advance for reading it. This will be posted to all three of my stories.**

**Excuses! Ok, so I survived the first week of eighth grade! But, this does not mean that posting is going to be any faster. I have already been swamped with homework, so the weekend is my only clear shot right now. Also, I still don't have my copy of Divergent back from JezaBelle7. It's not my fault ok?**

** Another Choice: This story is being put on semi-permanent hold. I honestly believe I could end it right here and leave the ending up to the reader's imagination. But, that doesn't mean I won't post a new chapter to wrap it up if I get enough feedback. This includes reviews and PM's filled with all my little pansycakes begging for more! Love you guys!**

** Our Past is Grey: I have to admit that I was very excited to write this story in the beginning. But it's getting really tedious, and I'd much rather write something with an original plot. Agreed? Feel free to review or PM me on your thoughts. I'm sorry ****. BUT READ ON!**

** Out of the Ashes: So the amount of praise I've gotten for this story is absolutely outstanding. I can't thank every single one of you enough. So here's the deal with this one. I'm going to completely delete this story (don't hate me). BUT…I will be rewriting the first chapter and changing the plot to something that has never been done before! PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MIND BLOWN!**

** Confused, Number 22: Say what now? This is my amazing story with that totally original plot! So without giving too much away…I have planned out at least twenty chapters so far, but that number could easily expand. I'm currently writing the first chapter, and I don't want to give anything away. I'll just tell you what it isn't. It isn't a high school story. It isn't a truth or dare story. It isn't a no war story. It isn't comparable to anything I've ever seen in the Divergent fandom! Chapter one should be posted later today or tomorrow. Can't wait to reveal it to you guys!**

** Bye pansycakes!**

** -OnCloudTen**


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